Gaza conflict: Israeli partial ceasefire under way

A seven-hour “humanitarian window” announced by Israel has come into effect in parts of Gaza. A senior Israeli military official said the ceasefire would not apply to the town of Rafah and that Israeli troops would respond if they were attacked.

Palestinian officials have accused Israel of breaking the truce with a strike on a house in Gaza City. The Israeli announcement came after a attack near a UN-run school in Gaza on Sunday sparked international outrage. Palestinian officials said at least 10 people died in the attack on Sunday.

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had begun withdrawing some troops from Gaza, saying they were “extremely close” to completing their mission to destroy a network of tunnels.

Health officials in Gaza say 1,800 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed and more than 9,000 injured since the conflict began nearly four weeks ago. Sixty-six Israelis have died, all but two of them soldiers. A Thai national working in Israel was also killed. Israel says that it will continue its military operations close to the southern town of Rafah.